AlmaRene

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Hi, All!

The teachings of Abraham have put me into the stream of well being, and I'm cruising along in a constant state of appreciation.

The only change I've made is in my thinking, and yet the results are phenomenal! No action was ever necessary. I tell myself that food is my friend, and I can eat anything now and not gain weight. I remind myself that the cells of my body are as sensitive to insulin as they should be to accept the glucose into my cells for energy, and I require less insulin while I eat more carbs than I ever dared before! My blood sugar levels are normalizing! I tell myself that my back is in perfect alignment, and I stopped needing Nsaids for arthritis. I get up out of chair without stiffness and walk without pain in my knee! All it took was a shift in my perspective on the subject of illness from thinking it is a condition that happens to me to realizing that illness is only a temporary consequence of my thoughts interrupting a continuous flow of well being.

When you try to change something through action instead of vibration, it's the handicapped way of going about it, as Abraham points out. Change does not have to be hard work. All you need to do is change your thoughts to improve the way you feel to give you relief. Realize that you are Source Energy in a physical body. You are always in charge and the Universe gives you what you want the moment you ask for it! All you have to do is allow yourself to move in the direction of it by feeling good.

Google Abraham-Hicks and take your power back like I did! I'm living proof that life is only as hard as we THINK it to be.

Ever onward with love and a happy heart,

Alma

What amazes me is that it took fatigue over trying to micro-manage my affairs to get me to allow a simpler way into my life. All I had to do was stop believing that food makes me fat and just enjoy every bite. This was the solution to eating too much. It’s obvious to me now----everything is so clear!----that the reason I ate and ate and ate was because I never allowed myself to enjoy the food. All the time I was eating my favorite foods, I kept telling myself this food was taking me away from what I wanted. I was expecting to finally enjoy the next bite, but the enjoyment never came. Instead, I settled for fullness. I ate way past satisfied.

Food has become my friend. It doesn’t make me fat. Any food I like is allowed. Now that I gave myself permission to eat, all the habits I wanted to have are coming along effortlessly….

I’m going to bed earlier and sleeping longer. I eat my largest meal in the morning. I am cooking instead of buying fast food on the way home from work. I’m exercising a few minutes on my bike before work every day.

I cooked a turkey roll last night and a home made dressing with apples, cranberries and turkey sausage. I even bought a peach pie and regular (not sugar free) French vanilla ice cream. For the first time in years, I only ate 2 tablespoons of that ice cream with my pie. I didn’t crave more. I’m sure it’s because I allowed myself to enjoy every bite. I didn’t need 100 more bites and then a feeling of being stuffed to trick myself into believing I was satisfied.

Losing weight is no longer a marathon; It’s a process I enjoy. In fact, it’s not the end result that excites me; it’s the things I learn and apply along the way. I’m feeling so fulfilled.

All of life is becoming this fun and this easy!

Alma Rene

The ALL LIQUID diet is a bust! It just doesn't feel normal - too much of a struggle to stick with it. However, I really love the taste of soy milk with Metabolic Reset Hunger Control Chocolate Protein powder that offers 7 grams of fiber and 23 grams of protein per serving. It's the one meal replacement I have for lunch at work during the week. It suits my schedule and my appetite.

I found a book that harmonizes with achieving my ideal weight effortlessly...no fussing over meals. It's called. "Think Yourself Thin: The Visualization Technique That Will Make You Lose Weight Without Diet or Exercise" by Debbie Johnson. You can't get any more straight forword than that title! The ideas are excellent. It's a user-friendly workbook that teaches you from scratch how to change your perception of yourself to bring you closer to the body you want with ease.

Basically, imagine your ideal body and FEEL like you already have it! The effort is in getting rid of your doubts and excuses not to succeed. Get out of your own way, and let yourself have it.

I wish all of you the very best! I'm off on a whole new journey. I'm following my bliss!

Alma

Hi, Everyone!

It's been a glorious month of focus, drive, and stamina on this new research project at work. One of the pluses is being allowed to put headphones on and listen to music----or self-help tapes---all day while I work. Not only did I make the "elite" list for my productivity but I had an epiphany this week from all that listening!

Has anyone ever heard of The Teachings of Abraham by Esther and Jerry Hicks? Well, I was just introduced to it recently and the ideas resonated within me. I had been feeling torn about surgery, going back and forth in my mind about the reason it was a good idea. I am clear about what I want but, because of my history of yo-yo dieting, I lost faith in my ability to achieve an ideal weight that I could maintain for the rest of my life---without assistance. I had convinced myself that I needed the Sleeve to eat less. I want very much to resolve my obesity and my diabetes, and I know that it's possible. Can I really do it on my own, regardless of my track record?

The answer is a resounding....YES!

Last week I received an order from Amazon.com that inspired me to change my course of action. One was a book called "Money and the Law of Attraction" by Esther Hicks, which comes with a CD I listened to at work. The other was a DVD called "Chill out! The Law of Attraction in Action IV," which woke me up today!

The lesson is that we create everything in our life----EVERYTHING! Whatever we put our focus on has to manifest in our life. If we put too much focus on our weight, it becomes a problem. Why? Because if we were happy with our body and comfortable with food---releasing these ideas that foods make us fat----our metabolism would adjust to keep us trim and we'd never have to think about it again! I know this is true because I've met women who are thin and eat more than I do! Obviously, some thought got stuck in my head about my body in relation to food and it slowed my metabolism and caused me to gain weight.

Abraham says that you know if you are headed in the direction of what you really want if you feel better about that decision. You are swimming downstream with the flow of the current of energy. When I think about surgery, I feel worse. It means that the decision to have WLS is going against the current. I really, really, really, really wanted to become slim by my own efforts without surgical intervention. It's why I said, "NO!" to my PCP every time he brought up the subject of the Lap Band the past two years. He was focused on my poor track record, too, and thought surgical intervention was a good idea. He planted the seed in my mind, and eventually I pursued it.

It's been an enlightening adventure, too! I found out I had a Vitamin D deficiency. A supplement was prescribed. I found out I have sleep apnea. I am now sleeping well with my C-PAP machine. I drink more water. I supplement one meal a day with a protein drink. I pay attention to fiber in my diet. I walk more for exercise. A lot of good has come from this path. I don't have to go all the way!

I'm ready to apply the rules that we would follow before and after surgery to get the same results without it. I started a liquid diet today! I'll ask my PCP to monitor me more closely while I lose weight without the surgery. I feel inspired! This decision makes me feel better, so I know I'm going with the flow instead of against the current of what I really want.

If you want to be inspired, too, to resolve your weight issues permanently----with or without the surgery---I highly recommend the DVD called "Chill Out! The Law of Attraction in Action IV" and any books, CDs or DVDs available on the Teachings of Abraham by Esther and Jerry Hicks. It will change your life forever and help you make all your dreams come true---and feel good during the process!

Cheers!

Alma

I got the promotion! In fact, today is our last day of training, and I LOVE the job. It's much more interesting than being a customer service rep, though I also enjoy the contact with customers on the phone. This is primarily research. By the time I go back to my former position, I'll be a lot better prepared to handle difficult enrollment issues with ease. I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to increase my income while expanding my knowledge. (Our manager on this project is a sweetheart! That's a plus.)

I almost opted out at the last minute! They scared us half to death at the preliminary meeting before we had to sign a contract stating we accepted or declined the new position. They said we'd be worked like slaves with no breaks and a short speed lunch. They said we'd be scrutinized and could be fired without disciplinary steps for violating policies. They said we'd better "hit the ground running," because trainers would skim over pertinent information and expect us to grasp it first time around. Holy Toledo! A buddy of mine declined the offer and nobody could blame him. I liked the job description too much to pass up a welcome challenge. I'm glad I said yes! The reality is that the work environment is friendly and the people in charge are helpful and kind. I'm gonna hate returning to my former position when the project ends!

Good news ~ My referral is good through February 2009. I don't have to retake any tests to have my VSG surgery in January. I'll have to see my surgeon Dr. Wood for a second consultation in December.

Just because I'm postponing my surgery does not mean I'm postponing weight loss! I'm working on adhering to a schedule the next 3 months, riding my bike every morning and sticking to a low fat, high fiber diet. I loaned a book from the library about reversing diabetes. The author who is also a medical doctor is convinced that it's the amount of fat in the diet, especially saturated fat and cholesterol, that is to blame for insulin resistance. I believe he's on to something, because I noticed that when I eat high fat foods my blood sugar stays high for days afterward. He advocates a vegetarian cuisine. I'm going to take his advice and apply his suggestions. I'll let you know how it works out for me, both in terms of helping me shed some pounds and reducing the amount of insulin I use in a day.

Meanwhile, I'm going venture onto another forum on this site...non-surgical weight loss. It's time for another perspective.

Keep the loser's bench warm for me, Sleeve Family! I'm not wandering too far. I'm just one forum and 3 months away....

Wouldn't you know it? I'm two weeks away from the crucial consult with my surgeon that could lead to my surgery date during October....

Our union contract was ratified! There will be no strike. Woo hoo!

Our manager sent an e-mail around at work again today recruiting volunteers for that special research project that lasts 90 days. It means a good deal more money and important experience that could help me up the corporate ladder later on. The catch is that I can't take time off work during the project. I have to commit to being there every day. If I get the position, it means postponing my VSG surgery until after December 19.

I'm not an idiot. I'm not turning down a bunch more money and a chance to excel on the job sooner than I would without this experience. I'm willing to wait for the surgery now that I know it's approved.

Here's the clincher....

Is there a time limit on BCN approval? How far into the future can I schedule my VSG surgery without having to go through the entire approval process again?

I called BCN today, and I found out these tests do have timelines on them. I have to have my PCP's office call and ask when the referral for surgery expires. Meanwhile, I find out Monday if I'm one of the 30 recruits for the temporary promotion.

Wish me luck! I want it all! This reminds me of that saying...
You can never be too rich or too thin!

The sleep study doctor gave me release for surgery! He said I will be their poster child for C-PAP since it's made such a dramatic difference in my ability to sleep peacefully. I look forward to wearing my mask. I can't sleep well without it.

I was very surprised to hear that my sleep apnea is so bad that Dr. Farra reported it as "potentially fatal." (Gulp.) He said I stopped breathing 130 times per hour during the study and my oxygen level fell to 85%---before they fitted me with the mask, that is. It's not just for one second either; the pause has to be a minimum of 6 seconds before it counts. (Double gulp.) Hearing that reminded me of the encounter I had with the gastroenterologist the day of my release from a seven-day stay in the hospital with pancreatitis during June 2002 when he said, "People die from what you had." Wow. I had no idea I was in such peril.

But, hey, I survived....both times.

This quest for permanent weight loss has been good for my health. If it hadn't been for these preliminary tests, I might never have known I had sleep apnea or a vitamin D deficiency. Who knew?

I lost 2 pounds! Eight more to go....

I have a second consultation with my surgeon Dr. Wood on October 1. If he okays everything, I get my surgery date! It's looking good for October. Make room for me on the loser's bench, my friends! I'll be joining you soon.

The special project at work has been postponed until further notice, so I'm forging ahead on my surgery date quest!

I will keep my appointment with the sleep study doctor on Monday. We have a union meeting on Wednesday to vote on a new contact agreement. I pray it's acceptable and we ratify the contract so I can get my new sleeve this month or early in October. No more delays!

I wonder how the loser's bench feels....

Hi, Everyone!

I only have one last appointment with the sleep study doctor and a 10# weight loss before Dr. Wood can set my surgery date. I'm sooooo close!

Here's the dilemma....the new union contract at my place of employment has not been ratified yet. Negotiations continue. If things are not settled by Monday, I'll have to reschedule my appointment with the sleep study clinic for that final clearance. And I have yet to lose some more weight. I admit I have not been exercising or making much of an effort to radically reduce my calorie intake. But there's always tomorrow!

Then yesterday an opportunity came knocking....I was offered a new temporary promotion at work---along with 29 other colleagues that have yet to be selected by qualifications and seniority. The project lasts from September 15 through December 12. In order to be eligible, I must commit myself to being at work every day. I can't take any time off. If I am chosen to be part of this special project, it means a large pay raise for 3 months AND I must postpone my surgery until after December 12.

The week ahead will be very telling. Stay tuned!

I fell behind in my journaling....

Did I tell you that the overnight stay at the clinic was like a pajama party? I was nervous until I arrived and found out there were 3 woman patients and 2 women on staff. It was a riot! It took 20 minutes to hook up the electrodes on my scalp and face and shoulders and legs. The 3 of us looked like something out of the Night of the Living Dead. It was hilarioius! And what a fitful sleep that first hour and a half! I even tossed the blankets off the bed.

The first time I wanted to change positions in bed, I called out in the dark to the tech, "April? Can I flip over to the other side?" She said over the intercom, yes I could, just don't sleep on my stomach (as if that were an option as big as I am). Sure enough, when I flipped over, all the wires came with me.

I picked up my CPAP machine last Wednesday and have been using it for almost a week now. It turns out I stopped breathing 90 times during 105 minutes of sleep at the clinic August 2. They fitted me for a mask, hooked my up to the wind machine, and then I slept like a baby.

BCN approved my surgery! I received notice in the mail this weekend. All I have to do now is lose 10 pounds and get the seal of approval from the sleep study doctor who happens to be on vacation this month. I'll see him on September 8.

Meanwhile, my PCP detected a vitamin D deficiency and put me on a supplement once a week for 8 weeks and once a month after that.

Everything is moving so fast! I'm asking that Dr. Wood set a tentative surgery date now for any day after September 8. I need that date to get everything in place, including my best friend who needs to schedule the day off to be at the hospital with me.

I should be able to post my surgery date soon!